The CLAP! CLAP! sound of the horses as they gallop across the fields, ring in your ears. About three hundred men, follow you, as you ride. You and Samorra have made sure that they are well-equipped and armoured. You cannot afford any signs of slackness now. This is the last war for the west.
It is Demeter, the month of the harvest now. But you and Portswater will hardly have any harvest. Sure, there is food, to go around, but not as you'd like and most certainly, not as there use to be in previous months.
If you could secure one of the cities with prison-holdings, that you know some of your men are held in, then it is possible that your numbers will improve.
The closest one to you now is Blaenau and it is to there that you and your men ride. You must deploy your troops cautiously as you cannot afford to lose much. The more of you there are, the better your chances of success will be. This you know all too well, as you have memorised it in your head times and times again and plus, Samorra has not let an hour pass without reminding you.
"Blaenau is critical to us", he now says, riding up to your side.
"We must secure it without too much losses", he goes on.
"If we can free your men held in their prisons, then surely, our numbers will multiply", he reminds you.
"Yes, Samorra", "I do remember", you let him know.
You ride over a hill and then you come to see the city of Blaenau. It lies just as Rio had in the past. It seems that the Rivermen had a tendency to build in valley-like areas. If you had archers, then you could rain down arrows on the city and its forces, until they surrender. Yet, there are no men of bows among you, purely men-at-arms. Now it is a matter of how you will enter the city to take it. Looking down, on the path leading to the city gate, you can see many wagons and carts pulling up into it, delivering their goods. An idea comes. If you can disguise yourself and a few of your men to fit as cart-men, and have them get into the city, then they can infiltrate the walls and allow the rest of the men to get in without too much fuss.
You turn to your men and order them to make camp just beneath the foot of that hill, at the side where you are hidden from the city of Blaenau.
After your tents have been pitched, you call a meeting with the knights and just a few of their random men.
"If we can get a few of our men disguised and have them enter the city uninterrupted, then they can infiltrate the walls and ranks and open the gate doors to the rest of our men", you boldly tell them.
Samorra gives you a nod and a smile, "this is a good plan", he says.
"A very good one indeed!", he awards you.
"Now. It is a matter of who will lead the men into the city", you say to them, looking up, staring into their eyes.
Surprisingly, none of the knights or brave men offer themselves up to lead the party. This takes you by surprise so much that you inquire at them of it.
"No man wishes to enter that city with just a few men", one begins to speak, sounding craven though realistic.
"It is a big city, and the bigger the city, the more troops it possibly has", he briefs you all.
The others nod their heads in agreement, and say the same thing among themselves.
"Well, it cannot be I", you notify them.
They look at you as if wondering 'how so?'
"For I am a well-known lord and surely, when they check the cart-men at the gate, they will recognise my face among the others, and know that it is a trick", you teach them.
They nod again to show that they understand.
Still, no one offers up himself.
"Fine!", Samorra jumps up.
YOU ARE READING
The Black Raven: plot of the three swords
Historical FictionLord Alexander has just come to the throne of Portswater, a province in the west known for aurens in times of trade, but steel in times of war. He thinks that being a lord isn't too complex, but what he doesn't know is that there are those cunning...
